The Dream Hotel
by Not For A Moment
Summary: From the Author of Music & Possession, Barely Touchable, and Love & Luck: Welcome to the place where dreams and reality collide. Ally's dreams of becoming a music star are about to come true, thanks to the Dream Hotel & DREAM program. But, does she have what it takes to make it? And can she fight the attraction to a certain blonde rock-star? Or will she take a risk with love?


_**Standard Disclaimer Applies. The Plot and Idea are mine.**_

_Enjoy!_

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**Chapter One**

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_ Welcome to the Dream Hotel_

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She drew in a quick breath, the grip on her suitcase handle tightening.

Ally stared up at the building, torn between going forward and calling a cab back to the airport. Her palms sweated as her heart drummed in her chest. Ally fished the pamphlet from her back pocket, smoothing out the curled edges with her thumb. She looked back and forth between the hotel in the picture and the hotel before her.

They were two _completely_ different buildings.

The hotel on the pamphlet was a modern and glamorous hotel that looked like it belonged in Vegas. The hotel before her was old and neglected from the early nineteen hundreds. The windows had boards over them, the signs had layers upon layers of rust, and the place looked deserted. It was substantially older than the picture on the pamphlet, and not even the least bit modern, in _any_ way.

"Well, here goes nothing," Ally muttered under her breath before sighing softly. She pulled her suitcase along, crossing the street, and walked to the entrance.

At the age of seventeen, Ally Dawson lived a mediocre life. She lived out her days in Miami, her hometown. She juggled her time between going to school, lazing around at home, and working at her dad's music store, Sonic Boom. She had little to no friends; that is, if you considered a pet Cockatiel named Owen a friend.

The only exciting thing about her life was her channel on MyTweb; it was on the 'On the Rise' top ten list. She nearly had a heart attack when she nearly had seven hundred thousand hits on an acoustic version of a song she wrote. Ally didn't think her songs were great, let alone her singing, but the thousands of people around the world proved her wrong.

Then came the day of her high school graduation, the day her life changed.

Ally received an invitation to stay at the Dream Hotel for a whole week, complimentary of the owner, Jimmy Starr. She had no idea why, but the place, according to the pamphlet, was a musician's paradise. After begging her dad, she accepted the invitation to stay at the hotel, fooled by the fake picture.

Still, that didn't stop Ally from a free stay anywhere.

She pushed through the glass doors tentatively, biting the inside of her cheek. Ally shuffled though the dusty entryway, her breath catching in her throat. The wood-paneled the walls, white and brown-checkered floor, and gilded chandeliers, despite the worn condition of the place, had a certain charm that gave it an elegant appeal. She continued forward until the checkered floor turned into Victorian carpet.

The lobby looked better than the entrance. A grand wooden staircase sat in the center of the room, the steps branching out to the sides, up and along the walls to the floors above. Blue tapestry covered the stairs, contrasting greatly with the red of the carpet and the rugs of the lobby. Vases of fresh flowers littered the room, sitting on mahogany desks, marble tables, and an upright piano.

The sound of creaking wood caused her to stop admiring the general splendor of the old hotel interior. Ally turned around, jumping backwards in surprise. A hand went to her heart as her eyes widened to the size of saucers. She had to clench her jaw in order for it not to drop.

Before her, stood the most attractive guy she had ever seen in her life.

He had hair that blazed gold, styled in an unruly and disheveled way. His eyes were like deep pools of liquid bronze, captivating and vivid. She found herself lost in them before her gaze wandered south. Her stomach fluttered at the sight of his muscled body, since he wore no shirt.

"You done checking me out?" he asked, which made her snap her head upwards. Her cheeks heated up when she realized what she did.

"Sorry," she murmured, shifting from foot to foot. "I- I…uh…um…is this the Dream Hotel?"

The guy smiled and it made her knees turn to jelly. His smile was the very definition of breathtaking, because that was what it did. He sauntered down the rest of the steps and towards her, stopping a foot in front of her.

"Yes, yes it. Why don't you follow me and we'll get you sorted out," the guy said. He aside and motioned for her to follow him. "My name's Austin by the way, and I'm one of the guest staying here." He stuck out his hand. "What's your name beautiful?"

She gave him a small smile, face burning at the compliment. "Ally. Ally Dawson." Her skin tingled when they shook hands, the sensation bursting through her blood stream and rolling down her spine. It was surprisingly very pleasant.

"Well, Ally Dawson, looks like Starr is going to extend your invitation to stay here. Because you, unlike the dozens of others these past couple of weeks, walked inside, and didn't call a taxi back to the airport," Austin explained, tucking his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"I considered it," Ally admitted, rubbing the back of her neck nervously.

"Well I'm glad you didn't because now we've got one more to join our rowdy band of misfits." Austin gave her another one of his amazing smiles. "And trust me when I say this, you'll love it here and never want to leave."

Ally raised her brow at him. "And why's that?"

He smirked. "Excuse me a minute." Austin jogged up the stairs then cupped his hands around his mouth. "Newbie!" he shouted. The sound bounced off the walls, echoing through the room and resonating in her ears. He dropped his hands to his side before jogging back down the stairs and to her.

"Uh…what was that?" she asked.

However, her question didn't get an answer. Instead, the loud boom of feet rushing down the stairs caught her attention. Ally stepped back, overwhelmed by the sudden appearance of seven more teenagers: four boys and three girls. The guys immediately rushed towards her and Austin, skidding to a halt and crowding around her.

"Looks like we've got a beauty boys," a guy to Austin's left said, nudging him in the arm. He resembled Austin greatly, the same blond hair and impish brown eyes. Only, he was a bit taller and looked to be older.

"Dibs!" another called out. His brown hair fell into his eyes, so he whipped his head to the side to move it out-of-the-way. He shared no resemblance to Austin or the other guy. Though, from the way his elbow sat on Austin's shoulder, Ally could tell they were friends.

The redheaded guy snorted. "You can't call dibs," he laughed. His eyes glittered with amusement, a wide grin spread across his lips. He, despite the rest of the group, stood out greatly, with his flamboyant clothes: a pastel colored button up, cartoon tee, and checkered pants.

"Exactly, it's not like she's the only available girl here," the last guy said.

He too looked like Austin. Only, his hair was brown like hers and the guy who called out 'dibs.' His copper orbs were calm and collected, giving him a quiet and cool appearance. The resemblance to Austin was there, but he also looked to be older and taller than he was as well.

"Whoa there guys," a much softer and feminine voice said from behind the boys. "You're freaking her out."

They all looked over the shoulder, parting as a girl walked up to her. Her hair was the same shade as Austin's, falling over her shoulders in elegant, straight tendrils. Hers eyes were the same shade of bronze, but she wasn't nearly as tall. She also sharply resembled him, just like the two other boys of the five.

"Sometimes I wonder how you're related to these monkeys, Ari," another girl laughed.

Wild was the word Ally would use to describe the girl. Her hair cascaded down her back in a mass of ebony curls. She wore leopard-print pants and zebra-patterned blouse, her nails painted neon green to match the headband in her hair. Her russet orbs twinkled with mischief, her lips curled into a friendly smile.

The blonde-haired girl laughed. "Beats me, but one thing's for sure, I'm the boss of the band."

Four of the five boys simultaneously said, "Nuh-Uh." She threw them a hard look, almost as if she were daring them to disagree again. They all turned away, defeated.

Ally cleared her throat, catching their attention again. "Uh…yeah, hi, don't mind me, but if you guys could point me in the direction of the bathroom, that'd be nice. A five-hour commercial flight from Miami tends to mess up your system."

Before anyone could answer her, Austin broke away from the group and took her suitcase. "No problem, I'll show you to your room so you can unpack," he said, smiling. "Dinner's in half an hour, you have some time to freshen up if you need to."

Ally nodded her head, not knowing what to say. She felt the gaze of the rest of the group on her back as Austin showed her up the stairs and to the left. Their talking echoed and jumbled together as they ascend to the second floor. She couldn't make out what they were saying.

"Sorry for that," Austin apologized abruptly. "We haven't had a newbie in forever, so when it comes to seeing a new face, it's an exciting occasion here in the DH."

Ally arched her brow. "DH?"

"Dream Hotel." He stopped in front of a down, the very last at the end of the hall. "Well, here's your room. Trish, the girl in the animal print clothes, is in the room right next to you. And my sister, Ariel, is right across the hall." He pointed so she knew which room was which. "And Layla's room is on the other side of Trish's. You need any help finding your way back to the lobby or the diner hall?"

She shook her head. "I think I can manage thanks."

With that, Austin gave cast another one of his signature smiles before sauntering back down the hall and leaving her alone.

Ally let out the breath she didn't realize she held in. Her pulse writhed in the side of her neck, her nerves just as jumpy. The sudden crowd of people overwhelmed her, and her social awkwardness sparked to life.

Though, Ally liked the 'rowdy of misfits' as Austin had called them. Their energy was refreshing, different from the isolation she preferred. She looked forward to dinner, hoping to introduce herself and get to know them better so that her stay at the 'DH' was something she wouldn't regret – or forget.

She grabbed her suitcase and opened the door to her room, freezing in her doorway at the sight of it.

Her windows had no boards over them, unlike the ones she saw in the front of the building. It gave her a clear view of the busy city of Los Angeles – skyscrapers, traffic, and all.

The floor was a dark wood, neatly polished so that she could see her reflection in it like a mirror. The walls were a cream color, making the room seemed more elegant that it actually was. A massive for-post bed sat in the center, chic white curtain hanging from the stakes. The comforters matched the curtain, white and airy like clouds. An L-shaped couch sat off to her right, in front of a large plasma TV and glass coffee table.

Overall, the room made her feel like royalty, or some rich debutant.

Then, a hand viciously shoved her inside the room, followed by a door slam. Ally stumbled and fell to the floor, her knee crashing into her suitcase. She winced as pain traveled down her leg and caused her flesh to throb.

Looking up, Ally saw the last girl standing in front of her door, brows pinched together but a smirk on her lips. Her aurum hair stopped right below her jaw, cut short into a bob. The iciness of her stormy blue eyes made Ally shiver.

"So, you're the newbie," the girl deadpanned, looking unimpressed. "I don't know why Starr chose you for the DREAM program. You'll just end up like all the others." Her lips twisted into a vice grin. "I give you three days before one of you realizes you're not cut out for this."

Ally furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "You'll learn soon enough." She uncrossed her arms and turned towards the door. She stopped abruptly, her hand on the knob, and glared at Ally over her shoulder. "And just some advice newbie, stay away from Austin. He's mine."

Words left her; she couldn't find a response. In the end, the girl left Ally's room, slamming the door shut behind her.

She sat there on the floor, rubbing her knee absent-mindedly before rising to her feet on shaky legs. Her once in a lifetime experience soured before it even begun. Ally shook her head, forcing herself not to think negatively.

However, her thoughts strayed back to the girl's last words: _"He's mine."_

Just because Austin treated her nicely, didn't mean he looked at her as a potential friend, let alone girlfriend. Heck, _she_ didn't even look at him like that. Yes, he was extremely handsome, as were the other guys. He was just the first one to welcome her. That was all. They were acquaintances and nothing more.

Ally bent down, stiffly due to her knee. She tugged her luggage upright and pulled it over to the bed. Ally scurried into the restroom first, before anything else - holding it in for the last hour had been torture. It took her very little time to unpack, especially since her closet was the size of a shopping mall and had more than enough space for her one-week's worth of clothes.

A knock on her door had her flinching, scared that it would be the girl for round two. A familiar mass of curls popped though the doorway, putting her at ease. A smile came to Ally's lips naturally.

"Hey, just thought I'd introduce myself first before we head to dinner. The name's Patricia, but everyone calls me Trish," the curly-haired girl beamed. "Ouch, what happened to your knee?"

Ally glanced down; her kneecap turned a faint shade of purple. "Oh…I…uh fell over my suitcase," she mumbled, which wasn't a total lie. She did fall over her suitcase, but she wouldn't have if that girl hadn't pushed her.

"Better not let Ari see it, she'll go all Mother Hen and treat you like you've broken a leg," Trish said, laughing at the end. "So, now that I've introduced myself, looks like you're gonna have to return the favor."

"My name's Ally, nice to meet you." She held her hand out for Trish to shake, but the Latina enveloped her into a hug instead. "Trish…can't…breathe."

Trish pulled away, eyes glittering with excitement. "Sorry, I just can't believe you're actually here. I mean, I love all of your songs and I subscribed to your channel on MyTweb."

Her brow curved. "Wait, you knew who I was?"

Trish smiled impishly. "Yeah, I just wanted to make sure you were the real Ally-D. And now that I know, we're going to be best friends. You, me, and Ariel, the Three Misfits."

"What about the girl with the short hair?" she asked.

The Latina looked at her quizzically. "Who? Layla?" Ally nodded. "We don't really hang out with her. She's always busy at Starr Records working on her début album or hanging off Austin's arm. Even though they're siblings."

"Oh." It was the only word Ally could say and _not_ sound disappointed. She quickly reminded herself - again - that she and Austin were just acquaintances and nothing more. "So, what's the deal with this place? Why does the owner and CEO of a major record label send out invitations to people for a free stay at a rundown hotel?"

Trish plopped down on edge of Ally's bed. "Why don't you change first and I'll explain along the way to dinner."

She nodded before rushing off to the walk-in closet and doing just that. Ally entered the room again in a pair of jeans. Trish stood, linking their arms together and they headed out. They stayed silent until reaching the staircase. There, Trish removed her arm from Ally's and clapped her hands.

"Welcome to the Dream Hotel, the place were dreams and reality collide," Trish said, gesturing to the hotel. "This hotel used to be famous back in the nineteen twenties, housing the talented and famous of the day up until the World War II. Now, it houses the next generation of the talented and famous in what Starr calls the DREAM program.

"He sends out dozens of invitations across the nation to talented, undiscovered artists for a free one week stay here. Out of the dozens of invitations, only a handful decided to accept the free stay. Then, once they get here and see this crappy hotel and not the glamorous one on the pamphlet, they book it back home," Trish explained. "Yet, there's always one who doesn't go home and their dreams end up coming true, which is why this place and the program are called the _Dream_ Hotel and the _DREAM_ program."

"Why aren't there more people around?" Ally went on, taking in the splendor of the place again. "I'm sure there'd be more people curious about why they got an invitation to stay at an ugly old hotel."

Trish shrugged. "Not everyone has what it takes to make it. It's not easy making it in the big time."

Ally looked back at Trish. "Then why send an invitation to me? I hardly have the guts to post my stuff on MyTweb, how can I make it to the big time?"

"Because, you Ally, you're different." Trish descended the rest of the stairs and she followed. "Ace-5, Austin and Ariel's band, and Layla had to work their way through endless gigs at birthday parties or concerts in the park just to get discovered by Starr. They have talent, yes, but making it in music, isn't just about talent."

Ally stopped walking, letting Trish's words sink in. They had to fight to get to where they were. She, however, just needed to post a video on the internet and instantly she had thousands of likes and hundreds of thousands of views. She wasn't a major internet sensation, because if she were, then she wouldn't be standing there with Trish.

"Then what makes me so different?" she asked, looking the Latina in the eye. "Why am I any different from them?"

Trish's voice dropped, turning serious. "The difference is you're meant to be a star, Ally. All you have to do is reach for it." Then, a grin stretched out across her lips. "Come on, I'm hungry, and I bet everyone else is waiting for us."

Ally didn't struggle as Trish pulled her along. She was lost in her thoughts, her new friend's words ringing in her ears.

_The difference is you're meant to be a star, Ally. All you have to do is reach for it._

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**_VERY IMPORTANT_ Footnote: **I know what you're thinking: _WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! ANOTHER STORY?!_

If you guys haven't read my profile, I do remember mentioning I'm a tad bit insane, so that should partially explain why I'm posting this story. That, and because I've had this idea brewing in my mind for so long, the anticipation is freaking killing me. So, hopefully you'll guys enjoy this story while I'm slowly losing my sanity trying to update my other A&A fics and this new one. _**So don't forget to activate your super awesome reviewing powers and review~! Pwetty pweeease? *bats eyelashes innocently***_

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*****_There is a link on my page called 'The Dream Hotel,'_ which allows you to see what the hotel looks like. It's a mix between two different hotels and the Hotel Francis Duke from the film 'Hotel for Dogs.' I recommend checking it out so you have a better mental image of what the DH - Dream Hotel - looks like.

******_Pic of Layla on my profile_ - random pic I found on Pintrest which I thought would be perfect for her character c:

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**Thanks for reading!**

_~Love y'all, Hannah V._


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